Brian Niccol, Starbucks' new CEO and Chairman, hasn't been shy about sharing where the coffee giant has lost its way. Part of the path forward for the global brand is refocusing on what made it great in the first place: its emphasis on people and human connection.

No one articulates that philosophy better than Howard Behar, the legendary leader who held pivotal roles during the company's rise to the top.

A visual representation of how he saw the role of senior leadership within the company was an unorthodox-looking organizational chart he posted outside his office. The typical org chart places the C-suite leaders at the top and branches down from there, showing the hierarchy in a pyramid shape. Behar’s chart resembled a V. The people being served by Starbucks (i.e., customers) held the place of prominence across the top. Starbucks employees were the next level going down, with the senior leaders at the base. In Behar’s words, this orientation was a reminder that they were there “first to serve one another and ultimately to serve the people who come into our stores.”

Michael and Katharine Stallard shared other observations about Behar's connection-focused leadership style and how it can help Starbucks rediscover its greatness with SmartBrief.